The 51st Anniversary of the Constitutional Court was celebrated with various activities in Ankara and Antalya on 25-28 April 2013

Guest delegations from 14 countries consisting of Presidents of Constitutional and Supreme Courts, judges and their spouses participated in the activities of the 51st Anniversary of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Turkey and the international symposium.

The opening ceremony of the 51st Anniversary began with the oath-taking of the recently appointed Member Judge of the Constitutional Court, Mr. M. Emin Kuz, at the Constitutional Court on 25 April 2013 at 10:30. Consecutively, the President of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Haşim KILIÇ, delivered the opening speech for the 51st Anniversary.

After the opening speech of the symposium delivered by the Vice President of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Serruh KALELİ, during the First Session titled “Constitutional Interpretation in Norm Review and Individual Application”, Member Judge of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, Prof. Dr. Andreas L. Paulus, Dean of the Faculty of Law of Koç University, Prof. Dr. Bertil Emrah Oder and Judge of the ECHR Mr. Khanlar Hajiyev, and during the Second Session, Academic Member of Istanbul Bilgi University Prof. Dr. Sibel İnceoğlu and Former Judge of the ECHR, Mr. Javier Borrego Borrego made presentations.

During the Third Session titled “Admissibility Criteria of Individual Applications” organised on 26 April 2013, Jurist of the Constitutional Court of Spain, Mr. Luis Fernandes Antelo, Member Judge of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, Prof. Dr. Andreas L. Paulus and Chief Rapporteur Judge of the Commissions of the Constitutional Court, Dr. Hüseyin Ekinci, presented their papers. The Symposium organised on the occasion of the 51st Anniversary came to an end with the closing speech delivered by the Vice President of the Constitutional Court, Dr. Alparslan ALTAN.

As the symposium programme continued, a tour programme was organised for the spouses in Ankara on 24-25 April.

A dinner was hosted by the Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, in honour of the guest delegations at Rixos Hotel on 25 April 2013.

The delegations participating in the 51st Anniversary departed from Ankara by plane for Antalya on 26 April 2013 in the afternoon. Within the scope of the social program organised in Antalya, they had the opportunity to watch the Fire of Anatolia Show at Aspendos Theatre in the evening. The Ancient Cities of Perge and Termessos and Kurşunlu Waterfalls were visited on 27 April 2013. On the same day, the activities ended following the farewell dinner in honour of the guest delegations.